Christodoulides creates ‘political group’ for Cyprus problem

A “political group” for the Cyprus problem has been created by President Nikos Christodoulides, it was revealed on Friday.

The group’s creation was announced by government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis after the day’s National Council meeting. It consists of 12 members and is made up of MPs past and present from across the political spectrum and lawyers.

Letymbiotis said the group’s role will be “advisory” and will work in tandem with a “legal group” for the Cyprus problem which will be created and announced in due course.

At the National Council meeting, Christodoulides informed party leaders regarding his latest contacts with United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ahead of Holguin’s planned visit to the island at the beginning of May.

He also spoke about the results of the latest European Council meeting as regards relations between the European Union and Turkey.

On Tuesday, Christodoulides had refuted suggestions that the meeting had been called in response to criticism he had received in relation to the ongoing spat between auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides and the legal service.

“I do not convene the National Council because I’m criticised. Criticism is a daily phenomenon; it is welcomed and reinforced. I want to make that clear,” he said.

“I convened the National Council because the European Council has finished, and I want to inform the party leaders of what was discussed before the arrival in Cyprus of [United Nations envoy] Maria Angela Holguin.”

Holguin is set to return to Cyprus at the beginning of May; her third visit to Cyprus since being appointed as UN envoy on the island.

Her planned visit will come just weeks before the end of the completion of six months since she was appointed to the role of UN Envoy – the timeframe on which Ersin Tatar insists before her duties come to an end.

Opposition parties Disy and Akel have made repeated calls for Christodoulides to convene the National Council in recent weeks, in response to Christodoulides agreeing to UN proposals regarding the Cyprus problem.

Earlier this month, Disy MP Onoufrios Koullas had said “it is with great surprise that we heard the president announce UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres submitted proposals that he already accepted.”

Akel released a similar statement, calling on Christodoulides to “inform political parties over the content of [Guterres’] proposals which Christodoulides already accepted.”

The government had initially resisted calls for the National Council to be convened, with spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis saying a meeting would not be held until “the facts differ from the last National Council meeting.”